Story and Photos By Drew Moody
For the Hur Herald
drewmoody@verizon.net
Glenville NAPA announced last week it will move to a new
location close to the Pioneer Car Wash. Its new store is scheduled
to be open by October 1.
The auto parts supplier will gain about three times more retail and
warehouse space.
Since establishing a presence in Glenville in 1999, NAPA's sales volume
has steadily increased, according to John Isenhart, manager of the
Glenville. It has outgrown the current North Lewis Street home.
Employees of the Glenville NAPA store are excited
about the upcoming move. Pictured, left to right, are
Shane Rose, Buster Isenhart, Tim Swiger, assistant mgr;
and John Isenhart, manager
NAPA had been considering a move and approached Waco Oil &
Gas seeking a long-term lease in a new retail space. And agreement
was reached within the past two weeks.
NAPA subsequently announced the upcoming move and construction
at the new location began almost immediately. Footers and piers are
expected to be poured beginning this week.
Site work will be ongoing preparing to be ready to start erecting the
building soon after its scheduled arrival on August 18.
Kevin Amtower, President of Amtower Auto Supply which owns nine
NAPA stores, says the larger store footprint will improve services to
the area. Amtower purchased Glenville's NAPA franchise in 2001.
Amtower says he literally "grew up" in the auto parts business
helping his parents at their 'mom & pop' parts store.
The auto parts business has changed dramatically since his youth.
For several reasons - including advances in technology, manufacturer
design changes, and the sheer numbers of different trucks and autos
being made - the parts business is more challenging today than, say,
40 years ago.
"In my early days there were perhaps only six different alternators
for all cars," Amtower recalls. "It was as simple as single or double
pulley." Now one car manufacturer may use several different types
of alternators.
Consumer expectation of the speedy availability and delivery of parts has
changed over the years too.
NAPA has worked out a fairly sophisticated method to service
outlying areas around Gilmer County on a limited basis, as well
as 'in town' clients. Plus, it supports pick up and delivery services
between Burnsville and Grantsville.
Although everyone at NAPA is pleased to be moving to a bigger
and better location, there's a lot of history in the present location.
John Isenhart, manager, has been working for three different auto
parts businesses in that same location since September 1979.
"My intentions were to work here until Spring (of 1980), then I could
find a real job," he said laughing.
The Glenville NAPA crew is excited about the upcoming move.
Ron Stalnaker, of Stalnaker Energy, owns the building at NAPA's
current North Lewis Street location.
"He's been very good to us," Isenhart said of Stalnaker.
NAPA has several specialty lines of parts including ATV, RV, trucks,
small engine and watercraft. With the extra space customers can expect
access to a significantly expanded product line, Amtower said.
Tom Shaw, owner of TKS Contracting, begins digging a footer
for the new NAPA store. Rob Sellers, of Buckhannon, assists in determining the correct depth of the footer. The Foodland Plaza, old Calhoun Banks building and the Pioneer Car Wash are visible in the background
The new building at the Foodland Plaza location will be 10,000 square
feet, with NAPA occupying 6,000 of that for its retail and storage needs.
"It will be a very attractive building," said Sandy Pettit of Waco Oil
and Gas.
The remaining 4,000 square feet will be left unfinished. The remaining
space
could be utilized for offices, a restaurant, or other retail needs. The
interior
will be finished to meet the new tenant's specifications, Pettit said.
She also indicated efforts are being made to encourage another banking
institution to expand here and occupy the former Calhoun Banks building
at the plaza. Calhoun Banks recently moved to its new location next to Rite
Aid.
TKS Contracting of Buckhannon began work on the NAPA building last week.
Owner Tom Shaw said pouring footers and piers occupy the initial phase
of construction.
Laying block will follow and floors are scheduled to be poured in three
to four weeks.
Site work is expected to continue for the next six weeks. Delivery of the
building is scheduled for August 18.
Shaw's company works mainly in West Virginia and Virginia, specializing
in commercial metal building construction. The largest he's ever built was
a 225,000 sq.ft. corporate distribution warehouse.
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